Fossils show predatory amphibians lived in the sea 237 million years ago.

What it means

The headline reports a newly described fossil amphibian, likely a temnospondyl, that was fully marine — living and hunting in the seas during the Middle Triassic about 237 million years ago. The fossil, found in China's Guizhou Province, represents an early example of an amphibian adapted to saltwater, possibly armored, filling a gap in our understanding of amphibian evolution.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is based on a peer-reviewed paleontology description of a specific fossil specimen, as reported by New Scientist and Phys.org. These are reputable secondary outlets that typically cover such papers closely, and the search results corroborate the fossil's origin in China and its 237-million-year age, so the factual core is strong.

How new

Genuinely new as of October 26, 2026, when the news articles appeared; the underlying fossil was found in 2004 but only now described or identified.

Go deeper

• New Scientist — first to publish